Expectations of Shinobi
by Helghy
Summary: In this story the focus will not be some grand quest to stop a goddess being resurrected but focus more on what is expected of shinobi as they grow. Whether they are the last scions of the royal Uzumaki clan, a returning veterans with more than just physical scars, or a Kunoichi who has only recently regained her freedom from a monster they all will be expected to endure as Shinobi
1. Chapter 1: Political Pressures

**Hello folks just a quick forward author's note here, just pointing out that this is obviously a new story while I have two stories of my own and a reading story unfinished yet. Which I have worked on, however this was an older story I had made a while back and went back to. I rewrote it from the ground up and pulled it back from the graveyard that is my Google Drive.**

**Anyway so a quick rundown of what this story entails, Yes naruto has a twin sister, Sasuke also has a twin sister, I know there are a lot of stories where they have twins, though honestly I personally haven't come across one in my memory where they both did. That being said I feel that it is obvious I am not ripping anyone off even though the twins thing has been done to death and then beyond.**

**ONe last point to make is that yes, Obito and Rin are alive. I decided to go that route because A. The focus on this story is not the whole bringing peace to the world thing from Naruto, so there is no need for Obito to run around with his swirly mask playing hide and seek with the Jinchuuriki. On top of that though I just really liked the idea of seeing what I could do with Obito and Rin as characters, so I have created families and family issues for them as well. **

**Anyway I hope you enjoy this story please leave a review!**

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_**Ch. 1 Political Pressures**_

**Konoha;**

**Hokage's Office**

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed loudly. The, until recently, retired Third Hokage sat at his desk and rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes. One week had passed since the ordeal that decimated much of Konoha. Casualty reports were only now truly confirmed, and things were grim. Honestly Konoha could barely stand the type of disaster it had suffered at the hands, or rather paws of the nine-tailed fox. Their shinobi corps was still yet to recover from the third shinobi war, and now the heart of their forces was directly hit by something on par with natural disasters. Dozens of Shinobi of Chunin rank or higher had been killed, and the ANBU had been especially heavily impacted.

Most troubling however wasn't the event itself. Not for a Hokage, used to war and death. No the worst part of the ordeal was the loss of Minato Namikaze and his Wife, Respectively the Fourth Hokage, and the former ANBU-commander Fox. Undoubtedly the greatest Shinobi and Kunoichi of their generation. Both killed in a single night. To make matters worse, ANBU commander Fox, was in fact the former Jinchuuriki for the Nine-tails, Kushina Uzumaki. The Red hot Habanero, the Red Death, or at this moment more importantly the Whirlpool Princess. Last of a line of a royal Shinobi clan. Only the Uchiha and Senju had rivaling pedigrees of status among shinobi clans, and yet neither Senju nor Uchiha had held Daimyo status as the Uzumaki once had.

If the end of the issue was Minato and Kushina's unfortunate passing the matter would at least end there. He would grieve two someones he honestly had been close enough to consider extended family passing but the issue would not cause more than a drip in the lake of problems Konoha now faced. Sadly the problem didn't end there. The reason Kushina had retired from her ANBU position was resting in the corner of Hiruzen's office at the moment. The twins that Minato and Kushina had looked forward so much to raise and shower with love in a newfound time of peace were now Hiruzen's greatest thorn in his side. Not only were they two freshly orphaned clan heirs, they were the heirs to the nigh extinct Uzumaki, only children of the beloved fourth Hokage, who almost single handedly forced the peace treaty to end the third war through, and most heartbreakingly the new Jinchuuriki's of the Nine-Tailed fox.

Standing Hiruzen stepped over to the simple crib that held the sleeping infants and smiled sadly down at them. Such innocent and sweet children they were, with such heavy pressure already threatening to crush them under the political game of Konoha and the elemental nations. It was unfair in every way. The older of the two, Naruto, the boy had his father's golden locks, but his mother's striking violet eyes. Oddly enough, he also bore, three whisker like marks, which Hiruzen assumed came from being carried by Kushina while she held the Kyuubi as the recovered records written by his own wife said he already held them before becoming a jinchuriki. The younger of the two, Mito, was a contrast to her brother. Despite sharing his tanned complexion she had her mother's hair instead of her father's with a thick red tuft already apparent on the top of her small head. She did however inherit her father's blue eyes. She shared her brother's birthmarks on her cheeks. It made the pair of them look like sleeping kittens, or perhaps kits.

That thought made the aged Sarutobi to frown again. If knowledge of the twin's Jinchuuriki status got out, Hiruzen couldn't imagine how the villagers would react. Already the people had burned an effigy of the fox supposedly in honor of Minato and the fallen Shinobi and civilians of Konoha. The things they said however, the rumors that spread of them wanting to make sure the fox stayed dead, primarily from civilians stupidly looking for a corpse. He had to think of something to hide the truth from the village, the council too. He could only trust a few on the shinobi council. Not even his old teammates making up the village elders could be truly trusted any longer. Koharu, perhaps, she had adored Kushina once she had gotten to know her, and had considered the girl a kindred spirit for Kunoichi, but Koharu was a patriot above everything. And to a patriot a Jinchuuriki was a weapon, whether they cared for them or not.

Funnily enough he had very nearly introduced them in his opening speech to the village at the beginning of the recovery effort. Minato had expressed his belief that they would be seen as heroes by the village. At first he had been inclined to agree. That was until Kushina's final words truly sank in. She had stunned him in calling her husband a noble fool and telling him no-one can know they are jinchuriki, or they will be abused. She had died before he had even responded to that, and in the time since then he had slowly come to realize she was right. Minato sadly believed in the village too much.

A knock at the door drew his attention from the sleeping children. He bid them enter and the worn faces of the Ino-Shika-Cho team as well as Tsume Inuzuka and Tsunade Senju entered. Hiruzen sent a silent blessing to Kami that Minato had forced Tsunade back into the fold to help with Rin recovering from a nearly career ending injury and to do everything they could for a broken Obito, and that Kushina had convinced her to stay. The Namikaze-Uzumaki couple worked miracles honestly.

"What's going on sensei." Tsunade's tired and emotionally distraught glare looked as though she was imagining peeling his face off.

'Maybe she is? How frightening.' Hiruzen thought.

"Well I am sure you noticed the two little parcels in the corner. Those two children are why I have called for the five of you. However we must wait on a few others as well." Sarutobi stated calmly as he settled into his spot behind the desk.

As the third hokage settled into his place the others took a moment to check the children in the corner. A sharp intake of breath followed by Shikaku muttering something along the lines of how troublesome this month was, a relieved though nearly insane looking smile on Tsume's face, and a hard calculative stare from Inoichi. While Choza simply smiled warmly at the babies, honestly the man was as much a marshmallow as he was a shinobi. Tsunade rounded on Hiruzen with an even more intense glare than before. It wasn't hard to tell what she was angry about, she had been led to believe Kushina and her twins were killed alongside Minato, but now, low and behold here they were.

"I know you have questions Tsunade, but please wait, we have a few more people coming." Hiruzen calmly said as he reached for his pipe before thinking better of it with the babies in close proximity to him.

As if cued by Hiruzen's words a knock was heard at the door before four shinobi entered. All much younger than the previous group. Kakashi Hatake and Rin Nohara were two of Minato's prized students and Genin squad during the war. Both among the best in their field. Kakashi was an ANBU captain now specializing in Ninjutsu and Rin was behind only Tsunade and Shizune Kato in the medical field. With them were the survivors of Kushina's own Genin team from early in the war. Yugao Uzuki, and Hayate Gekko. Both her students in Kenjutsu and among Konohas few remaining Kenjutsu specialists. There was a reason these four Shinobi were here, and it only helped to further confirm what Tsunade and the others had realized when looking at the babies in the crib.

"Good you're all here." Hiruzen rose and activated privacy seals around the office. Truthfully he would have had one other here, but the boy had been impossible to track down in the aftermath of the Kyuubi incident.

"Everything you hear in this office is classified and will not be repeated unless I or my successor informs you differently. Is that understood?" Hiruzen took a moment to lock eyes with everyone in the room. After letting it sink in the Hokage sat and began explaining the last week to the gathered shinobi.

"As you all obviously know, whether because you are trustworthy, loyal, or simply close to the deceased, Minato Namikaze was married to Kushina Uzumaki a few years ago. As you are most likely also aware, Kushina Uzumaki was the last of the Royal line of the Uzumaki clan, and the village's Jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi. Most of you also know Kushina retired from her position as commander of the ANBU forces approximately eleven months ago, as she and Minato had decided they wished to start a family. Nine Months ago, Kushina became pregnant with twins. Those two infants there, Naruto and Mito Uzumaki are now the only confirmed survivors of the Uzumaki clan, and as of October 10th, the heirs to the clan, as well as the Jinchuurikis of the Nine-Tailed fox." At that Tsume and Tsunade literally snarled at the old man, assuming he allowed them to be made Jinchuuriki. It infuriated them. Tsume's family and clan pressed loyalty and bonds above all else, Kushina had been her close friend growing up, one of the few Kunoichi who Tsume willingly considered her better in Shinobi work. Tsunade, well she was even closer to Kushina and Minato. They were her family, by distant blood in Kushina's case, they along with Shizune and Jiraiya had pulled her back from her self pitying ways to a somewhat tolerable existence operating the hospital as it's head of Staff.

"It's not what you think. I and the others arrived too late to do anything. Fugaku and I were able to get the twins away before others arrived but, we weren't able to stop Minato from making them Jinchuuriki or even kill all their attackers." Hiruzen said. Shikaku's eyes lit up in shock.

"Their attackers? Lord Hokage you mean the Nine-tails wasn't what killed Minato and Kushina?" The others looked shocked by Shikaku's question.

"No, Minato and Kushina were both killed by Kyuubi. However, their ANBU guards and my wife who was Kushina's midwife were murdered by kunai upon mine and Fugaku's investigation. I can only assume the same group of people are the ones who freed the Nine-tails from it's seal. As it stands we don't have any leads. The body of the assassins we were able to kill dissolved into nothing after death." The group was stunned by the Hokage's explanation. Someone had murdered the Hokage's personal guard, as well as Biwako.

"As it stands, Naruto and Mito's Jinchuuriki status will not leave this room. Minato used the Dead Demon Consuming Soul Seal to seal half of Kyuubi into each of his newborns, their systems may be the only ones that can handle such massive chakra being undeveloped and Uzumaki, however they are still too little to stably hold all the nine-tails alone. So Minato split it, at the cost of his own soul to the Shinigami's stomach. From here on out the official story will be that to save his newborn children and the village Minato sacrificed his very soul with a forbidden technique to seal himself and the Kyuubi into the Shinigami's stomach to battle for eternity. We will release Kushina's jinchuuriki status along with lady Mito's but stress the fact that she was a hero and victim, and that this only occurred because assassin's freed the Kyuubi. We will push all the blame on 'Rogue Shinobi dissatisfied with the peace won by the Fourth'." Hiruzen paused waiting for nods from those gathered. He wouldn't tolerate deviation from the plan he had worked up earlier. So far besides the Uchiha head and his wife, a few ANBU, and those in this room, noone even knew of the existence of Naruto and Mito, primarily due to the elders and council assuming the twins death alongside their mother.

"Sensei, who will take care of them. The council will be all over them. Danzo will want them for his own for the Uzumaki lineage, not to mention their parent's jutsu library, and while Koharu might be inclined to support us, as a traditional supporter of the clans especially the Uzumaki and Senju, Homura will be more than happy to slap the CRA on them the first chance he gets just like he tried to do with me and Kushina when we were both younger." Tsunade said. Shikaku nodded along with her having made the same conclusion.

"I have recalled their godfather and informed their godmother already. It wouldn't hurt if you could spare some time Tsunade, perhaps Shizune and Rin could pick up some more responsibility at the hospital for the next few months." Hiruzen said. Rin looked slightly pale at the thought of more responsibility at the hospital after the chaos of the past week, but calmed slightly when Tsunade lightly gripped her shoulder to show support.

"Who are their godparents Lord Third?" Inoichi asked. They all had the godmother pegged easily enough. Kushina and Mikoto were like sisters. Team Kakashi and Kushina both also knew of another tie to the Uchiha that needed to be mentioned, but a brief look from Kakashi seemed to cause the suddenly tense younger ninja to calm down and turn back to the matter at hand. He would inform their seniors when the chance presented itself.

"As you probably have figured out their godmother is Mikoto Uchiha, their godfather…" Hiruzen briefly glanced to Tsunade causing the Senju Princess to narrow her eyes. "Well their godfather is Minato's sensei." Tsume scoffed at that and Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course he was.

"With that being said, he will arrive tomorrow morning, and that is why I have called for a council meeting in the morning. I will explain things to him when he arrives." Sarutobi said.

The group was quiet for a moment preparing to end the conversation, really they had nothing else to bring up for discussion with the council. Then Kakashi stepped forward and cleared his throat. He looked awkward and uncomfortable, but he straightened his back and told the gathered Shinobi what he had on his mind. The younger shinobi all backed him up from time to time, though it was obvious the elder shinobi were annoyed by the information he had.

**Konoha;**

**Village Council Hall**

Quiet murmurs and whispers could be heard among the gathered councillors. Of those gathered it was painfully apparent what parts of Konoha were most heavily hit by the Kyuubi's assault. The central portion of the hall, an area for minor clans and non-clan shinobi that had been elected by their fellows as representatives was missing a sizable amount of their number. Those present nearly all sported some form of bandages or injury. Beside them a few civilians likewise sported treated wounds. The smaller section of the council, the clan heads largely lacked visible injuries. Fugaku wore a sling for his left arm, and Hiashi a bandaged hand occasionally visible when his sleeves shifted. Hiruzen's Eldest son, and the Sarutobi Clan head was not present, still in the hospital, in his place Hiruzen's middle child, his daughter, sat. Also sporting Bandages covering minor burns along her left arm and neck.

All in all, the tired and hurt members of the council looked annoyed by being called to gather. Konoha was rebuilding, and would be for months, if not years. That wasn't taking into account the time it would take to replenish those killed in the disaster.

However they all stood when Hiruzen strode into the room. It was obvious the Hokage was tired. Still the old man carried himself with a grace and gravitas that demanded respect from his subordinates. Reaching the Hokage chair at the back wall, with his ANBU commander Dragon Jonin commander Shikaku and Police Chief Fugaku on his right and the elders to his left, Hiruzen inclined his head to the gathered shinobi before sitting with them all following suit.

It was silent as he took a moment to scan the room with his dark and serious eyes. To his right the council's left wing was made up of the civilian representatives. Those typically of notable financial or social status including the few merchant houses, such as the Haruno, Kono, and Miura. They were the largest part of the council, however they had a single vote on matters making them technically the weakest portion. In the center was the Shinobi council. Those of clans too minor to be nobility or of families lacking clan status, they held two votes each, making them the most powerful when it came to voting. As it should be representing the heart of the village. Sadly today the section was lacking many of it's key members. Sarutobi still remembered a time when those such as Sakumo Hatake sat upon the council. Someone with honor like his would have been welcome today. The last section before him was the Noble Clans. There were twelve clan seats, yet only eight of the seats were filled. Those missing were namely the Nara and Uchiha to Hiruzen's right, while the other two seats were reserved for the Uzumaki and Namikaze. Kushina had only gotten to sit in her seat for three council meetings before this incident occurred, only after the seat was moved from honorary to official. The Namikaze seat had never held anyone, only having been made a clan seat following Minato's appointment as Fourth Hokage. It might be devastating for Hiruzen's plan to have two seats worth five votes each laying empty tonight.

"I am sure you are all very interested in learning why I have called this session when there is so much work to be done for Konoha. I assure you this matter is of importance. As you know I would not have called a Village Council Meeting unless it concerned the village as a whole, rather than just the shinobi or clans. What I refer to is the Kyuubi incident and an issue that has arisen from it. Do to that event I will be revealing some previously classified information to those gathered here to get a better idea of what occurred a week ago. I will have to start by informing you of the fact the rumors that Lord Fourth killed the Kyuubi are in fact incorrect." Almost immediately the council was in uproar. Fear ran through them, already the villages boundaries were broken down and under repair. A second attack by that beast would likely break the back of the village while it licked it's wounds.

"Enough! I said he did not kill it, because the demon cannot be killed as it is a demon born of nothing but chakra. The only way to defeat it is to seal it away into a vessel to keep it at bay. Otherwise even if destroyed the beast would simply reform in a few years time." The council was suddenly quiet. That meant there was something or someone the beast was sealed into.

"As some of you know, especially you more experienced shinobi, the tailed beasts are often sealed into items or people, the latter of which is known as a Jinchuuriki. These shinobi who are Jinchuuriki hold back the demon and separate it's power for the use of the village." The gathered shinobi and civilians were now speculating who this Jinchuuriki was.

"What few of you know is that since shortly after the founding of the village the Kyuubi was sealed away into the first Hokage's wife Mito Uzumaki, as it's Jinchuuriki." Shocked surprise ran through those uninformed.

"Prior to her death a new Jinchuuriki took the responsibility onto herself. Kushina Uzumaki was the second Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi until an incident occurred eight nights ago. The incident that led to the Kyuubi's release is what I have decided to inform this council about. Please do not interrupt me as I explain." Hiruzen shot down the growing pressure for the council to begin throwing blame.

"Eight nights ago, the fourth Hokage and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki…" Again a few gasps were heard as while not a secret, there had been no announcement the two well known shinobi were married. "Along with the Hokage's personal guard and my wife Biwako took refuge within a cave once used by Mito Uzumaki, when she gave birth. Here Kushina gave birth to her twins, Naruto and Mito. Sadly a small band of rogue shinobi assaulted the cave shortly after the infants birth. In the chaos that followed, the ANBU guard, as well as my dear wife were all slain. We have reason to believe that the two children were kidnapped and in giving chase to the kidnapper, Minato was forced to leave a weakened Kushina vulnerable to attack." Hiruzen stopped here for a moment. Most of those gathered had decided to put two and two together and come to a conclusion of what happened, with Kushina in a vulnerable state like that. A few seemed heartbroken for the hero of the third shinobi war and his family. Even Koharu had clenched her fists, frustrated that the young woman she had been so proud of, had suffered such a fate, because she had also pushed for the birth to occur outside Konoha. The woman couldn't help but feel this was her and the other elder's fault for outvoting Hiruzen and pressuring Minato and Kushina to do such a thing.

"Sadly Kushina and Minato were both slain by the beast once it was freed. However, in his final moments Minato sealed the demon away along with his own soul into the Shinigami's stomach to battle one another for eternity. All to save the village, and his children." At that the council started. The prince and princess of the Uzumaki clan were alive?

"You heard correctly Naruto and Mito Uzumaki are indeed alive." With a hand signal two ANBU stepped into the room. ANBU captains Dog and Cat, the youngest ANBU captains to date, each carried one bundle of joy in their arms. The children cooed and looked around with curious and happy eyes, one pair amethyst like his mother's, and one pair cerulean like her father's.

The council was silent. Hiruzen chuckled mentally noting another of the few things that silenced the council was in fact the sudden appearance of children.

"Lord Third? Are those scars on their cheeks?" A councilor voiced. Several people leaned in closer to see that indeed each child had what appeared to be scars or birthmarks on the cheeks, like whiskers.

"Yes, I believe that either the fact that Kushina carried the fox within her while pregnant, or that when being sealed away the demon scarred them to mock them is the reason for them. Though Shikaku stated they could also be scars from their kidnappers attempting to further mock Minato for what occurred. Healed by the Uzumaki Kekkei Genkai." To his credit Shikaku gave absolutely nothing away at Hiruzen's sudden ad-lib, honestly it could be true as far as even he knew.

"Now onto the true business. As Fugaku and Shikaku can attest to, the nin who committed this act are dead, and their bodies destroyed. I believe we can all agree none of them deserved proper burial for their actions." Nodding and mumbling agreements around the room supported that. "On to a few other items regarding these two. As it stands, the children will fall into the care of their next of kin, which sadly being the last Uzumaki, and only Namikaze, limits the possibilities. Their God parents, Jiraiya of the Sannin, and Mikoto Uchiha would be happy to take up guardianship I am sure." Hiruzen said as Kakashi and Yugao moved to the back of the room with the children, where Jiraiya and Mikoto had been waiting.

"That does not seem advisable to me Lord Hokage." Danzo suddenly said.

"Oh? Why is that?" Hiruzen asked.

"Jiraiya cannot remain in Konoha all the time, and there is speculation about these supposed rogues having connections to the Uchiha." Murmuring filled the hall as the accusation was pitched, Mikoto was shocked, and those that knew the typically stoic Fugaku could see the rage burning at such an accusation. The Uchiha clan head may not have been as close to Minato and Kushina as Mikoto, but he was a classmate with both of them, and a friend.

"Don't misunderstand me Lord Fugaku, I have no belief you were involved, but I have seen many reports stating they saw the Sharingan in the demon's eyes as it attacked the village, and we all know the story that Madara Uchiha used his Sharingan to will the Kyuubi to battle the First so long ago." Danzo continued.

"Do you have an actual suspect or just unsupported claims?" Fugaku asked through clenched teeth. Danzo was simply quiet a moment. He leaned back in his seat and sighed.

"I suppose you are right, perhaps it was not an Uchiha currently in your clan, or maybe another holder of the Sharingan." Again Fugaku grit his teeth, moments from grounding them to dust. Mikoto held the infant Mito closer to her as the child stared up at her with bright blue eyes.

"Danzo, you walk a fine line between speculation and accusation." Hiruzen said with an authoritative voice.

Inclining his head in submission the elder held his tongue. He had already achieved his goal. Whispers and narrowed eyes found their way to Fugaku as the man realized the civilian and shinobi councils were largely turned on him from speculation alone.

"Lord Third, perhaps it is best if another took the children in. Lord and Lady Uchiha already have three children of their own, and Lord Jiraiya honestly cannot remain in Konoha indefinitely because of his duties." A councilman offered. This caused Fugaku's fist to tighten. Mikoto's connection as god mother wasn't the only reason Fugaku felt responsible to help parent these two Uzumakis.

"I can take them in. My grandmother was Kushina's Great Aunt. They are my blood, even if they aren't Senju." Tsunade stood and spoke loudly. Honestly the woman would rather not have to care for the two children, but she wasn't about to let politics land these kids into some kind of orphanage or a home that only wished to use them.

"Yes that is a good alternative. I second this." Koharu stated. Had it been even two years ago the elder would have scoffed at the idea. Yet now, she had watched Tsunade return to the village, and regain some of that fire she had lost back with the death of her fiance. She had also seen the respectable woman Dan's sister Shizune had begun to grow into under Tsunade's care.

"Very well a vote. All in favor of Princess Tsunade fostering Naruto and Mito till they are of age?" A chorus of ayes and raised hands were tallied by an office-nin.

"Those opposed?" A few nays were heard but they were obviously outnumbered.

"The ayes have it. Onto the next order of business. This also involves the two little ones back there. It has been brought to my attention by Minato and Kushina's former students that a pair of contracts resides between the Uchiha and Uzumaki clan, which were ratified by the Fourth Hokage and the Daimyo. Fugaku is this true?" Hiruzen asked.

"Yes Lord Hokage. I can present the Uchiha copies if you desire." Without a word Mikoto handed back Mito to Yugao and made her way forward before handing a thick folder to her husband and returning to the back to now hold Naruto.

Fugaku handed the folder to Hiruzen who began leafing through the document. Stopping every now and then to focus more sharply on a clause or paragraph. His eyebrow raised from time to time but largely he just continued on reading the documents. After what seemed like an eternity to many present, Hiruzen cleared his throat to speak.

"Fugaku is this a copy for handing around the council?" Hiruzen asked, getting a nod in return.

The additional copies were passed by office-nin to the gathered councilors. As they read, some began to become distraught. Among those were the clan heads and elders.

"Lord Fugaku these are marriage contracts between your and Lady Mikoto's twins and the Uzumaki heirs correct?" Hiruzen asked. Fugaku nodded, and Hiruzen turned back to the paperwork.

"Are there any witnesses to this Lord Fugaku?" Homura asked. His dark eyes were steely behind his glasses. He had always been a bit of a hardass, but in regards to the clans of Konoha, he was obsessive in ensuring their survival after the Senju had all but died off with Tsunade not having any children.

'Homura you bastard pushing for the CRA on children, infants no less. Your lack of common decency is worse than Danzo's sometimes.' Hiruzen snarled in his head at his old squadmate.

"Of course, among those would be the students of Minato and Kushina, as well as my son Itachi and an appointed witness by the Daimyo." Fugaku responded. The chief of Konoha's police force was certain they had all their bases covered.

"Well in all honesty these two are heirs to an almost extinct clan and should be placed in the Clan Restoration Act." Homura stated as if it was an obvious conclusion.

His casual demeanor in speaking about such an act caused immediate reaction. Koharu's gaze snapped to her teammate's face with a scowl embittering her once beautiful, now wrinkled visage. Tsunade, literally snapped her pen in half with her grip, and practically all the clan heads glared daggers at the man.

"I support this as well, the law does state that those clans of Konoha bearing of Kekkei Genkai or useable trait with proper standing in the village and nation are subject to the CRA. There is little higher standing than a literal prince and princess of a daimyo's line bearing not one but two kekkei genkai if they unlock both of their clan's." Danzo cut in. Now subjecting him to the glares as Homura nodded along. Neither man really affected by such actions.

Civilian councilors were nodding along to that quite dumbly, well those not of the merchant clans. The CRA was something even they could be subject too, should their clan be important enough to maintain the economy of Konoha.

"The marriage contract with the Uchiha clan supersedes that." Fugaku argued.

"Hardly, if anything that just eliminates one requirement for the boy." Homura shot back.

"The CRA is not applicable to promised or wedded girls and women." Tsunade barked out.

"That very may well be, but the council should have final say on such matters as this is a matter of a Konoha founding laws." Danzo stated without any emotion.

"Enough! We are not talking about highly regarded Shinobi here, we are talking about children less than a week old, who might I remind you have, just as recently been orphaned. This conversation shames us all. I move this be tabled until the two of them are at least of Genin age." Koharu demanded. She was not about to sit idly by while two innocents were labeled as breeding stock less than a month after their birth. Koharu and Homura were usually in agreement on most matters, but this was too much and it disgusted her. Especially if the children's parents had already made agreements for their marriage. She herself could remember arranging a marriage for her own children, both to ensure their happiness and the betterment of her family. To stomp on Minato and Kushina's hopes for their children was a terrible way to repay the couple that had done more for Konoha than any besides Lord Hashirama and Lady Mito.

"Seconded!" Tsume, Tsunade, Inoichi, Choza, and Yura Sarutobi shouted out simultaneously.

"I am also backing this so until the children are of genin age, they shall be free of the CRA." Sarutobi stated in finality. The twin's respective guardians let out silent sighs of relief.

'It seems I have at least one teammate that retains a fragment of her humanity.' Hiruzen thought sourly.

The Council session continued, for the most part having finished with the circumstances surrounding the two twins. Though the issue of Bodyguards, physicians, and all sorts of minor details regarding the all but crowned prince and princess of Konoha were brought up and discussed. Dragon stated that Captain Dog would lead the bodyguard detachment and the group would iron out the details within ANBU to ensure the children's safety. Rin was brought in and named their chief physician, though, in all honesty it was redundant, with the fact that the girl was already intent on caring for them anyway, and Tsunade and Shizune, the two most skilled healers in Konoha would be essentially raising them. Jiraiya would have rights to teach them Uzumaki and Namikaze clan arts, being as he was the current seal master of the village and was one of only two remaining people who knew the Rasengan, and the only one capable of repeated usage in combat. Lastly the heads of the Uchiha clan, and by extension their children would be allowed unrestricted access to interact with the children. The children were expected to marry at some point, and Mikoto was their godmother, and Obito their unofficial elder brother.

One of three that was.

**Konoha;**

**Training Ground 7**

Obito pulled down the half mask on his face to drink some water. After meeting up with his Aunt and Uncle after the council session, they told him what they could and he had put the rest together on his own. He knew largely what to expect prior to the meeting, he was one of those deemed close enough to keep in the know. Still it was nice to be told what actually happened he was a little annoyed with missing the meeting that evidently occurred the night prior. It annoyed him more so that the council were beginning to shift blame onto the Uchiha. He had already heard a few whispers in the street since noon, word was spreading fast, and that word was that the fox had the sharingan when it attacked, just like when Madara had controlled it so long ago.

Madara Uchiha.

The name made his skin crawl and blood run cold. His breath hitched and flashes of the three months of torture, both physical and psychological, that the old yet still living legend had put him through. Whether he was the real one or not, didn't matter. The man was a monster.

Looking briefly at his reflection in the water Obito felt that maybe he fit that description too. When he thought he had died, and forced Kakashi and Rin to leave him behind as the cave collapsed, Obito had never expected to be rescued by someone. Then again he really wasn't. Madara had tried for three months to break him after only fixing his body enough that he would survive. Every torture he could dream up, and if he couldn't do it in the real world he would do it in a genjutsu, until Obito didn't know what was real and what was a lie. He could tell now though, the scars didn't lie. He may have been broken by the cave in, and may have been missing an eye he gave up to replace Kakashi's missing one, but death was preferable to the hell he had survived somehow.

Now Obito couldn't shake the feeling that the same man he saw every single night in a nightmare, was the one responsible for his sensei and Kushina's death. The thought made anger burn hot through his whole body. The man and woman who had been more like parents to him than his own, killed by the same man who he had been too weak to fight back against.

A brief flash of images of Madara's face as he cackled while violating and torturing Obito flashed through his mind, but this time it was Minato and Kushina chained to the slab, and Obito couldn't stop the tears.

"Kami I'm so sorry sensei, Kushina. If I had done something like a real shinobi back then. Rather than just looking for an escape. If I had just taken a single explosive note and hid it in my mouth or something when he... I could have stopped this from happening and you and the twins would all be able to live happily together." Obito glared at his reflection, Sharingan spinning.

He had gotten his eye back in konoha, He was donated one from another deceased shinobi giving him mismatched eyes, but Obito now sported two sharingan, mangekyou sharingan to be exact, even if the patterns didn't match. How funny it was to return to konoha after those three months, carrying a wounded and unconscious Rin who Madara had planned to use to finally break him. He had returned and found his mother and little sister had abandoned his father, after the prick simply said good riddance to Obito's supposed death and giving a sharingan to Kakashi.

The woman didn't know that Obito had read her journal under her bed to see if she was honest that she had even cared he had been missing presumed dead. He had been shocked. The woman had despised treating the boy so poorly his whole life, but had feared Obito's father far more than he ever had. She had loved him too, she had even contemplated killing her husband and then herself when the man said it was good his failure of a son was dead.

Obito didn't like the idea of his mom hurting herself, or even his dad dying, but it did make him feel happy someone cared. Not to mention, Izumi had practically tackled him when he got home. They had hardly ever talked before. She was still so little, but still the girl had refused to let him go for a full day. It had made him feel so warm, like he finally had his family back.

That was the greatest welcome home gift. His family had been given back to him, both his blood, and his squad. Though most of the clan still considered him a failure and treated him like polished dirt, slightly better than regular dirt, his aunt and uncle, and little cousin Itachi had been extremely happy to see him. Fugaku had told him how proud he was of him, acting like a true Konoha-nin after he had told him a brief summary of Madara's tortures.

It was like a dream, Tsunade Senju herself returned to Konoha to repair his body as best she could, and while some parts were still the prosthetics created from those Zetsu monsters, he was now able to decide if he wished to rejoin the shinobi corps. His mother and sister wanted him to be an office-nin, but Obito couldn't stand that. Not when his dream of being back with his family in Konoha was now busted like he was. All thanks to Madara.

No he would rejoin the Shinobi corps, and he would never let that bastard drag the Uchiha name through the dirt again.

Obito's eyes shifted to the mangekyou once again as he caused his arm to phase before the new person in the training field could touch him.

Rin stumbled slightly before he caught her and turned away to fix his mask before she saw his face.

"I forgot you could do that." Rin chuckled. Obito turned around and smiled from under his mask, it covered most of the scars that stretched across the right side of his face, excluding those around his eye.

Rin's smile dimmed slightly. Ever since Obito had returned something had been off between them. It had been a few years now, and she honestly hadn't seen his face without the mask a single time. She knew he had scars. Ones that he was ashamed of for some reason, as he used a bodysuit to hide all but his left arm and eyes. She couldn't help but worry for him as unlike Minato and Kushina, his mom, and aunt and uncle, Obito refused to tell her or Kakashi about what had been done to him while held as Madara's prisoner. As far as they knew, he was saved by the Iwa-nin who had interrogated him until he escaped.

How was he supposed to tell them what really happened without them feeling guilty for his pain. He wouldn't let them feel guilty for what that monster did. Especially not after what he almost tricked Kakashi and Rin into. Using Genjutsu to force Rin to kill herself on Kakashi's chidori. All just to try and snap his mind by forcing his best friend to kill the girl he loved.

Shaking his head to clear his mind and try and focus on said girl, Obito gently pushed her shoulder to try and get her to loosen the atmosphere. He didn't want to think about the things he had been focusing on for the past week. It was making him too agitated.

"What are you doing out here Rin?" It was getting awfully close to dark.

She was quiet a moment while she kept staring at him. It used to be if he was hiding something he would spill it if she just stared into his eyes long enough. At least she believed so, all she had ever really gotten was his excuses for odd bruises and marks that she would heal for him. They had actually been badges dear old dad had left his favorite failure, Obito joked morbidly in his head. The girl's smile dimmed a little more as Obito simply held her gaze now. He was so different from before. Where he used to laugh and make jokes almost at any chance, now, his eyes seemed to just observe things. Like they were analyzing them to see if they were real.

"Were you going to join us for dinner at Lady Tsunade's? I heard she wanted all of team 7 and Yugao and Hayate to come, your aunt and uncle are coming too." She said.

Obito turned to look at the stream again staring at his own eyes, before turning and nodding. He stepped away from Rin for a moment expecting them to split up and meet up at Lady Tsunade's but Rin jogged up along next to him.

"I'll meet you there I need to swing by my place first." Obito said, glancing at Rin.

"I don't have anywhere to be I can walk with you." Rin argued.

"Look Rin, I moved back into the Uchiha compound…..so…" He let his words hang there as he turned toward her.

"I can walk with you to the compound right? I mean we hardly ever see each other anymore, it's like team 7 doesn't even exist now that Sensei is gone I don't want us to all drift apart. We have to stick together." She laughed half heartedly at her false enthusiasm.

Obito stopped and fully turned to her now. He was silent a moment as the pair just stared at each other for a brief while. Rin shifted slightly as he just looked back at her.

"Stay out of the compound, wait outside the gate okay?" Obito raised an eyebrow with his words waiting for her to agree.

"Okay, that's fine." She smiled and they continued on toward the compound, which was near the heart of the village and beside the Uchiha police station. It practically forced people to walk around or through it, and most preferred around to through as the Uchiha police were especially diligent within the compound's gates, stopping practically everyone they deemed suspicious. The war, and now the Kyuubi incident had made them paranoid and jumpy.

As they walked they fell into a moderately comfortable silence. Rin kept glancing up at Obito from time to time. He had changed greatly, his clothes were now always black, or so dark blue they could be mistaken for black. His Uchiha fan was present on the back of the black high collar coat he wore over the skin tight body suit he wore underneath. The only difference was the slightly lighter shade of pants more of a blue then black. His physique was much different. He was leaner now, much leaner. He was also the tallest among their classmates, causing his new look to stand out. He got teased at first for copying Kakashi with his mask, it didn't bother him. He needed to cover his scars up and Kakashi's mask inspired a similar choice for him. Though Obito's was an extension of his body suit almost like an extra long collar fitted snug to his face.

Rin had changed too, she was fourteen now, and was beginning to develop into a woman. She had traded in her former uniform for a similar outfit. Exchanging the black shirt for greys and blues, and wearing her Chunin vest at all times almost. Her hair was longer now than it had been, reaching to just below her shoulders. Of the three team 7 members she had likely changed the least. She still was the glue for their team, especially now with Minato gone.

"You know, I've never actually been to your clan compound with you. I walked through a couple times, but it was while you were living with your grandmother in the river district." Rin commented trying to break the silence.

Obito was quiet for a moment before responding. "It's just another clan compound. Except the Uchiha dislike intruders more than most. Why they built their compound in the middle of the village and have a major road right through it beats me, I would think it would be the last thing they would do."

Rin took note that Obito always referred to the Uchiha clan like he wasn't a member. She didn't bring it up though. Surely it was nothing.

"Where do you live at in the compound?" She asked, trying to keep a conversation going.

"I live on the west side of the main road, behind the shops." Obito matter of factly stated. He was trying rather hard to hide the fact this topic was making him uncomfortable.

"Are you alright?"

He wasn't trying hard enough it seemed. He nodded and again they fell into silence. The compound was coming up. Low walls with the Uchiha fan painted brightly on them. The police were still out in force.

'Uncle Fugaku is letting his lieutenants have too much leeway.' Obito thought as he watched two police men roughly escort an elderly merchant down the road.

Fugaku's lieutenants in fact included Obito's own father. He had to talk his uncle out of removing the man from his position after learning about the abuse Obito had dealt with. Fugaku was not a warm man, but he would never abuse his family, they were everything to him. The chief wanted nothing more than to beat the man to a pulp, but he held back. Fugaku had thought the man to be a good one when he married Mikoto's elder sister Hazuki. He had been proven wrong, beating and belittling Fugaku's nephew and forcing his sister and niece to live in fear for years.

Obito had been touched by his Uncle's sudden cold rage. Sadly sacking the bastard who spawned him would just serve to make him out as more of a coward than what the rest of the Uchiha already considered him to be.

Obito shook his head again to clear it. Why had he become so contemplative since coming home? He had so much trouble focusing on his surroundings now his mind would just pick a topic and absorb itself in it.

"Stay here, Rin. Remember we agreed." Obito said as he gave her a pointed look, before turning and heading further into the compound proper.

Rin nodded and watched him leave until he turned a corner. She looked around and sighed. This was the Uchiha district. Everything here was either sponsored or directly run by the clan. Outside of the compound itself the businesses lining the roads were all backed by the Uchiha but run by others. Only businesses directly owned and run by Uchiha were allowed within the compound as far as she knew. The only things operated by the Uchiha outside of the compound were the Police station, which was right beside the compound's gate, and Obito's grandmother's tailor shop which was not in the district at all.

After they thought Obito had died, Rin and Kakashi had gone to see the old woman to deliver the news. She had truly loved Obito, so proud that he did what she said a true Konoha-nin would do.

'Maybe I should visit Obito's grandmother. I'm sure she would like the company.' Rin thought. Her thoughts were interrupted however when she saw Obito making his way back toward her. He was no longer sweaty and dirty. He had changed into a near identical set of clothes, though his pants were a steely gray now.

As he stepped up to her, she was about to ask if he was ready to go, but she was interrupted by a small girl no older than five nearly tackling Obito from behind. Obito turned to look at her before picking her off him and holding her up.

"Izumi what are you doing?" Obito asked. The young girl smiled brightly before glancing at Rin then back at Obito.

"I want to come on your date with that girl." The child stated as if it was obvious.

Rin blushed brightly and Obito choked on air as she said that.

"Izumi it's not like that we are just going to a dinner in honor of my sensei." Obito said as he finally regained his composure.

Rin was a little shocked. Who exactly was this girl, did Obito have a sister? That thought caused her to pause and watch as the pair argued back and forth. For a moment it was like seeing the old Obito again as he bantered with Izumi. Arguing with a child half his age, it was adorable and very funny. Still she couldn't shake a single thought.

'Why don't I know anything about his family?'

Obito was her closest friend, or at least he had been. Thinking about it though, until he 'died' she had never even been to his house. Even then though, the building had been in the river district, and was a small shop more than it was a house. Only two bedrooms, one for his grandmother and one for him.

Her brow furrowed, she needed to talk to Kakashi, maybe he knew more than she did. Either way something was wrong.

"So what do you say Rin?" Obito asked. Said girl startled out of her thoughts and turned to look at the pair before her.

"What, I'm sorry I was off in my own little world. What were you saying?" Rin chuckled awkwardly at being caught not paying attention.

"Is it alright if Izumi comes with us?" Obito asked.

"Of course why wouldn't it be." Rin happily chirped. "By the way Izumi, I'm Rin Nohara it's nice to meet you."

"Hello, my brother talks about you and Kakashi sometimes. I'm sorry about your sensei. Obito said he died protecting the village from the fox." The little girl started out happy but quickly became somber toward the end.

Rin was a little taken aback by the sudden shift to talking about Minato, though it was very sweet the girl was giving her condolences.

"Thank you Izumi-chan. Are you ready to go?" Rin smiled down at her and the girl cheered and joined the pair as they made their way toward the Senju compound.

Unlike the Uchiha district the Senju compound was built away from the village center, it was also primarily surrounded by parks and other empty acreage giving it the feeling it was pushed back into the woods even though it was actually only a stone's throw away from the Hospital district.

The walk to the compound was enjoyable. Rin had spent the time being grilled by Izumi for all sorts of things. What was her favorite jutsu, did she like medical jutsu, why did she have those purple tattoos on her face, what was her favorite color. At least it had started that way. Izumi had quickly shifted into more invasive questions. Did she have a boyfriend, did she like someone, what did she like in a boyfriend.

By the time Obito had physically covered the girl's mouth with his hand and begun carrying her like a satchel bag, Rin was blushing red as a tomato. It wouldn't have been all that surprising if steam came off her face.

Finally having arrived at the gates Rin started leading them to the clan head house. Obito gave Izumi a pointed look to behave as they set out within the compound.

When compared to the packed and heavily populated Uchiha compound, the Senju compound was depressing. There was after all only a single Senju left, and the compound had been built for over a hundred members in mind. The dark and empty paths seemed to remind the elder two just what war costed Konoha and the other villages. Slowly but surely after three wars, one of the largest and most powerful noble clans had been all but wiped out. It wasn't a secret that Senju clan members had been specifically targeted by other villages to damage the morale of Konoha and it had honestly worked.

Now only Tsunade remained, and she wasn't likely to have children. She had been engaged when she was younger but, even her fiance had been killed in battle. Obito couldn't help but feel guilty for being part of the cause that forced the woman to return to living in her childhood home. Now empty of everything but ghosts.

Rounding the corner the trio came to the well lit Clan head house. It was separated by the rest of the compound by a large grove of trees, and it was stunning the amount of natural beauty around it. Trees and flowers surrounded the house like some sort of fairy tale clearing. At the center was a sizeable home that was well lit with lanterns overlooking a small pond in the back. Surprisingly quiant for what amounted to the home of a woman considered royalty by the village.

Approaching the steps to the front door, they could now hear quiet music and the chattering and laughing of those inside. Obito reached up and knocked before a loud 'come on in' gave them permission.

The trio found the gathered guests in the dining room. A large table with over a dozen seats took up the middle of the room, and those gathered waved or smiled at the three as they came in. On the far side of the room, Tsunade and Mikoto laughed as they each held a baby, Mikoto held Satsuki and Tsunade held Mito. Already the pair had grown attached to the sweet little Uzumaki twins. Nearby Naruto, Kiba, and Sasuke were held by Kurenai, Shizune, and Yugao respectively, the latter of which was grinning at the alarmed face Kurenai was making as Sasuke pulled at her hair when Yugao held the boy close enough to reach.

Beside the girls was Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, and Hayate as well as the slightly older Hokage Guard Platoon members Genma, Iwashi, and Aoba each taking turns making funny faces at the boys in friend's arms. Nearby Fugaku, Hiruzen, Tsume, and Jiraiya were talking, or more along the lines of making jokes at the expense of Itachi and Hana, both of which were blushing up a storm. Made even worse when Jiraiya made a comment about the newly entered Izumi, who was glancing at Itachi and Hana who were both only a little older than she was. Though Obito doubted his sister realized the jokes Jiraiya made and simply wanted to go play with kids her age.

The last group was an odd addition. Orochimaru sat away from the others and simply nursed a glass of sake, while Anko stood beside him. Her eyes seemed unfocused and she was acting more like a servant for her sensei than anything else, altogether ignoring her friends as they came in. Anko had been among their class though she was a few years younger she was a prodigy and hand picked by Orochimaru just like Minato had been for Jiraiya.

Despite Anko's lack of greeting Obito smiled faintly at the gathered people. It reminded him that Minato-sensei would want him to stay connected to his non-blood family. He would do just that.

Stepping over to Shizune, he asked if he could hold Naruto and the girl smiled before handing the tiny baby over. The boy's violet eyes locked onto Obito's own and he giggled as if seeing a friend again. Obito's own eyes squinted up as he grinned back beneath the mask at the sweet baby.

He had more new little siblings to care for besides Izumi now it would seem.

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**Alright that's a wrap! As you probably noticed, and as I mentioned up above I have created some oc's to have family for characters that had none. I also decided that Izumi, the girl Itachi could have had a romantic story with had the whole massacre bit not happened is actually Obito's younger sister in this. Anyway until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2: Power Plays and Kidnappings

**Here is the second chapter of Expectations of Shinobi. Yes being updated on the same day within a few minutes of each other….it's written and I'm not holding onto it just to post later when I have other chapters and stories to work on.**

**Please Enjoy!**

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_**Ch. 2 Power Plays and Kidnappings**_

**Konoha;**

**Uzumaki Compound**

A little over a year had passed since the Kyuubi incident, and at least structurally Konoha had largely rebuilt. The hardest hit areas still had tell tale signs of reconstruction but the residential and market areas of those affected were up and running with full vigour. Other works had helped to boost morale through the trying times, such things as a memorial just outside Konoha's walls, where the heroes of Konoha had defeated the Kyuubi.

More notably however was likely the Uzumaki compound. A surprising number of volunteers to work on the project to complete what Kushina had contracted a few months prior to the attack had arrived and not only completed the work but sped up it's timetable for completion.

Whereas the Uchiha compound acted like a miniature town within Konoha itself, and the Senju acted like a walled off nature commune, the Uzumaki compound was built alongside the river. It's towering outer wall proudly displaying the spiral for the Uzumaki clan all along it's face. Within the walls was compound was laid out very ornately. The Uzumaki crest was engraved into practically every surface one could imagine. Most notably the stone frames around the gate. Unseen by most was arguably Jiraiya's greatest work in sealing, the security seals were etched into the ornate design so well it was unnoticeable to even most low Jonin.

The homes for the future clan of the compound were laid out in the center of the compound in four stout buildings. Each held a pair of large apartments, empty and waiting for their future residents. Forming a semi-circle around a rounding path that main compound building was the clan hall. A small tower, though nowhere near to the Hokage tower in space or height, it still loomed over the four residential buildings. Inside the majority of the tower was empty. However it had three levels each overlooking the last with balconies from the wall. The bottom level was largely empty and sported a massive set of banners against the far wall from the entrance. The center held the Uzumaki crest once again, flanked by both the Konoha banner and the banner for the land of fire denoting the new allegiance of the rebuilding clan.

The room itself could be used as a meeting hall or as an arena for teaching younger clan members clan techniques. Here Kushina's flare for sparring and combat had taken the better of her and ensured that the possibly most important place in the compound doubled as an arena.

Above the open floor was a balcony that circled the whole of the arena, dining tables and serving stations for clan meals and feasts rested here, allowing future clan members to eat and watch tests or meetings.

Above even that were offices and small meeting rooms. There is where clan head business would be conducted, among these rooms was the clan head's office which had a balcony both inside the tower and outside the tower allowing the reigning clan head to view the clan at their leisure.

Following the main path into the compound past the tower one came to a bridge, one specifically built over a small tributary to the villages river in such a way that it created small whirlpools along the length of the bridge. A little added upgrade suggested by Jiraiya while he oversaw the construction of the compound for his grandchildren. He viewed the whirlpools as an imperative part of their heritage and homeland, one that needed to be remembered in more than just carvings and banners.

Past the bridge was the clan head's home. Unlike the large apartment like buildings this was a single manor, similar to what the other clan heads had. Though most clans simply had a more ornate and larger home for their head of the clan, the Uzumaki clan head house couldn't really be larger than what amounted to lavish apartment buildings. Instead it took much of it's inspiration from the Senju clan head house, tucked away from the rest of the compound by a low stone wall similar in style to the large wall around the compound itself. Beyond this a sizeable yet modestly designed house of more traditional stylings for the elemental nations rested. It looked much like a miniaturized castle in style, though it lacked the battlements in exchange for a large and beautiful garden and private training ground flanking the house.

The house itself had three floors and two underground storage rooms. Sporting half a dozen bedrooms, a family dojo, a large kitchen and two dining areas, one for when guests were present and a smaller one for family and close friends. The bedrooms were split between the second and third floors. On the second floor rested the nursery that Kushina and Minato had hoped to house their children while still infants and toddlers. It had warm oranges, and blues with a mural of a sunset on the western wall opposite the door.

The bright colors and soft feeling was perfect for raising small children. Sadly the homely feeling was ruined by the splashes of dark red that surrounded the empty cribs. Laying on the floor, unconscious was one of only two survivors of the attack on the last Uzumakis. Kakashi Hatake, had succumbed to unconsciousness due to blood loss. His ANBU backup suffering far worse than he in the attack, as their butchered remains lay scattered around the nursery.

Near to the door, the only other survivor of the attack forced herself to her knees to begin working on Kakashi's wounds. He would have a massive X shaped scar across his chest to remember this terrible night. Not that he needed a reminder. It was unlikely anyone would forget this terrible crime.

Kidnapped in the dead of night, the twin Uzumakis were missing. Within ten minutes of the attack the village was on alert and the Uchiha police and ANBU were tearing the village apart looking for the missing children. Among them Fugaku Uchiha's personal enforcement squad, including Obito, and ANBU Cat's squad were especially thorough. Luckily for Cat her face was hidden, however people would equate this night with two especially violent Uchihas with wildly spinning Sharingan breaking down doors, just as much as they would the missing twins.

Days later, having finally allowed himself to rest briefly the night before, Fugaku returned to the scene of the crime to look for any new leads. Normally Obito would have shadowed him there, however the boy was still somewhat weak from his ordeal with Madara, despite the amazing amount of healing he had achieved, days without sleep, continuously running his sharingan to try and catch even the smallest clue had left him in a near coma under the care of his mother and aunt.

Fugaku himself was cursing the scene before him. There was no evidence. Everyone's first assumption was of course Iwa. Their vendetta against the fourth and his family would most definitely extend to children. However somehow on the fourth day Iwa learned of the twin's disappearance and posted a massive reward for them to be given alive to the village. It was obvious they hoped to use the two to breed a new generation of warriors like the Yellow Flash and Red Death when they were old enough. Jiraiya had also said that his spies in Iwa had no intel on it at all, in fact if it was done by Iwa the Tsuchikage knew nothing of it and was as shocked as Konoha was by the twins kidnapping.

Sadly to say now Iwa nin were poking around Konoha's borders as well as the minor nations looking for signs of the twins just as much as Konoha nin were.

That news was soon followed with Kumo posting their own reward for the capture of the twins. They had failed in kidnapping their mother all those years ago but the Third Raikage still reigned and he would be more than happy to have both a male and female Uzumaki of the royal branch, and the children of the Yellow flash under his will.

Again, now Kumo nin were coming out of the woodwork in search for the twins for their own village. This news was not the biggest headache though. Most worrisome was the rather public slap in the face that came down from the fire daimyo himself. All but labeling the Konoha forces incompetent. He had rushed to Konoha himself after hearing the last of a Daimyo's line, one considered more closely tied to the Fire lord than any other royal house, outside the fire capital, were now simply missing.

He had demanded to see the ninja on duty, unfortunately, or fortunately in Kakashi and Shizune's case, the only two surviving members of the attack were both out. Shizune had nearly killed herself in healing herself and then Kakashi, and Kakashi was in a coma. Tsunade had been forced to place him into it, or the heavily medicated ANBU captain would have joined his dogged friends in their desperate search while still on life support.

Settling for the next best thing and blaming all of Konoha's forces for the failure, the daimyo had gone so far as to order the removal of the Uzumaki clan insignia from all non-clan items. The only spared insignia was the leaf symbol itself, which sported a bastardized spiral in it's design.

Staring at the bloody walls, Fugaku sighed in exasperation. He was too tired even to use the Sharingan without a boost from adrenaline or a soldier pill at this point. Scanning the room the Uchiha clan head couldn't help but feel burdened by the thought that he was overlooking something or someone. That perhaps he was just passing by the wrong doorway when they did their searches.

As it was, he had begun to agree with the Daimyo. How many times had Konoha failed the Uzumaki clan. How many times had the Uzumaki come to their aide, and when they needed their help in return. Konoha was always too little too late. When Uzushio was sacked, the only Uzumaki who made it to Konoha was Kushina. The other group escorting civilian clan members was ambushed on the road and annihilated leaving a single little girl to bear the pain of losing her entire family, village, and nation. When Kushina was kidnapped, the only one to find her trail and rescue her was Minato. The rest of the village had been too concerned with the war at the time to even realize that one of the three girls they considered princesses, Mikoto and Hazuki being the other two as they were direct descendants of Madara, was missing.

When Kushina was in the middle of what should have been the happiest moment of a mother's life, she was held hostage, had her burden torn from her, one put there by Konoha. Another failing towards the Uzumaki. She and her husband were murdered and their children orphaned. Again Konoha had failed them.

Now this. The final failure was too much. Honestly Fugaku felt Konoha likely deserved worse. He knew many had at one time felt Kushina was a foreigner and didn't belong, but she and Minato were his friends dammit. Born in Konoha or not.

Turning to look out the busted window on the far side of the room. Fugaku again looked at the damage done from an ANBU being blasted away from a powerful fire jutsu. What little they had gotten from Kakashi and Shizune was that they didn't even sense the attack until the majority of the ANBU was dead. The attackers were astoundingly skilled. To hide from Kakashi they had to be. To beat him and Shizune Kato in a straight up fight without leaving a trace, they had to be damn near Sannin level, or had team cohesiveness to a ridiculous degree.

Leaving the scene and returning to the Uchiha compound Fugaku, noticed several glances at him from his clan members. Not the usual respectful greetings, more along the lines of critiquing stares. It bothered him. He had also heard the rumors spreading. Many villagers had come to the conclusion that the Uchiha took the twins and were secretly blackmailing the council with their safe return. It was a ludicrous conspiracy, and few believed it. However it did seem that people were pointing fingers at the Uchiha more than even Iwa now. All do to the fact that attackers had used powerful fire style jutsu, and bested Kakashi of the Sharingan. Something few believed any outside the Uchiha could do at the moment. Again the village's conspiracies and rumor mill had grown perilous in the recent year. Already the Uchiha were scrutinized for Minato and Kushina's deaths. Many coming to the conclusion Danzo had, regarding a sharingan user controlling the Kyuubi.

Tensions from the villagers and civilian portions of the council angling towards blaming his clan had begun to cause disputes in the last couple of days. He hadn't helped matters with his invasions of privacy during the searches. Now the Uchiha clan was growing restless, many had begun to listen to Sozeki and Kengo, Fugaku's younger brother, and former brother in law respectively, as they complained about the village's treatment of them. The worst incident so far had been a slightly drunk Sozeki, saying that the village had whittled down the Senju and Uzumaki to nothing and next would be the Uchiha. It was worrying how many of the police were beginning to agree with his lieutenants' points of view. It would only make things worse.

Speak of the devil, or better yet devils.

Sozeki and Kengo both stood at the front door to Fugaku's home, Itachi and Fugaku's nephew Shisui stood nearby and shifted uncomfortably. Just inside the open door Fugaku could make out the form of his wife. Her Sharingan was spinning and she looked seconds away from drawing the hidden kunai she had in her apron.

"What are you two doing here? I haven't called off the investigation, either go home and rest or get back out there to find those children." Fugaku commanded in his usual calm and gruff demeanor. He saved his softer side for only those he considered worth it. Sozeki had proven long ago brotherhood meant nothing, and Fugaku would prefer skinning Kengo alive to even thinking about bonding with the man.

"Actually Chief," Sozeki began. His hand slipping into his belt pouch causing both Fugaku and Mikoto to tense. "We came here with word from the rest of the force." Sozeki drew out a paper and handed it to Fugaku.

Reading the paper, Fugaku's stony visage slid into a more pronounced frown. A petition. A petition by the other members of the Uchiha police requesting him to step down and hand the position of chief over to his younger brother Sozeki. In essence it was the next best thing to taking his and his wife's positions as clan heads.

Fugaku glanced at the men. While Sozeki hid it well, his brother could easily sense the smug nature behind the placid face. Kengo on the other hand could hardly keep a smirk off his face. The bastard had been gunning for Fugaku ever since he took in Hazuki, Izumi, and Obito. He had slandered the clan head's name up and down the Uchiha district, sadly there was no proof that it was actually him doing the deed of spreading lies about a 'secret' relationship between Fugaku and both Mikoto and Hazuki. It just went to show how little some people thought of the importance of family.

"I see. Sozeki, you and Kengo round up all the clan shinobi and police and have them meet in the police station tonight at six. I will give an answer there." Fugaku calmly stated as he folded up the papers and slipped them into his vest.

Sozeki nodded and went on his way, while Kengo stayed behind a moment, a barely present sneer on his face.

"Just remember Fugaku, go against what the majority of the clan wants and we have a right to vote of no confidence. Should it come to that of course." Kengo snidely remarked.

The fool should have had his sharingan ready, because the only one who caught Fugaku's sudden movement was Mikoto, and she couldn't help the small smile on her face. Fugaku's fist slammed into Kengo's face hard enough to smash his nose and send him sprawling onto the steps behind him.

"Nobody makes threats to me, in front of my wife and son especially, you bastard. I am still your clan head so you bite your tongue and watch your mouth around me and mine, or I will throw your ass off the force, even if it's my last act. Don't think I don't have enough shit to drag you under the bus with me Kengo. How would it look to the clan elders if they knew what your family really thinks of you? Hmm?" Fugaku rarely showed anger. He almost always had the typical Uchiha scowl on his face. However at this moment Kengo and Fugaku's own family were reminded why he had earned the moniker 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku. He was of course the first not of Madara's direct line to unlock the Mangekyou since the founding of Konoha. The cold even tone he calmly used contrasted with the threat he all but spit on the downed man to remind the fool of his place.

"Leave Kengo before I wake up Obito and set him on you. He'd kill for a chance to pay you back some of what you dished out throughout his childhood." Mikoto hissed from the doorway.

The bloodied man stood up and gingerly held his face as he tried his best to stalk menacingly off. He more resembled a stray dog that had been kicked than an Uchiha Police Lieutenant.

'Fucking Ingrate. If it wasn't for Obito's pleading I would have run you out of the clan. This is how you repay that mercy. Trash.' Fugaku thought with a sense of vindication seeing the blood stain his uniform.

Itachi and Shisui were sent off to train. The boys had both become too mature for their own ages, Fugaku again felt the guilt from that. He had done to his own son what his father had done to him and forced Itachi into the life of a Shinobi too early. The obvious furrows on the little boy's face from having too many sleepless nights all too eerily matched his own weathered face. The child was six years old, and still a few months ago Fugaku had made the stupid decision to take him out and had him kill his first bandit. A right of passage he had thought, but still to see the child's eyes darkened from such a thing, Fugaku would never forgive himself.

"I shouldn't have hit him. Not in front of Itachi and Shisui." Fugaku calmly stated. Not looking up at the beautiful woman who was watching him from the doorway.

"I think you should have hit him years ago, repeatedly, with some sort of sharp weapon." Mikoto joked darkly. Trying to alleviate the grim mood if only slightly. She reached out and guided him into the kitchen before fixing them both a glass of tea.

The warm tea in his hands helped him to relax and the woman leaning on his shoulder reminded him not all was as bad as it seemed. She had suffered terribly the last few days. She was the twin's godmother afterall and had worried herself to the point of illness. Yet here she was, comforting him, when he should have been doing it for her. He always had trouble speaking about his emotions. A part of him wondered if others knew how he felt about them. Did Mikoto know she and the children were his world? He had never told her that, probably never could either. Surely she knew though. If anything the small and sad yet still content smile on her face told him that she knew he loved her.

"Are you going to actually resign?" Mikoto asked The small smile slipping into a worried frown.

"I don't have a choice. As stupid as Kengo was to say such a thing to my face, he is right. Sozeki could easily force us out if he convinces the rest of the clan." He said calmly. They were silent for a moment.

"You know they won't search for them like they should. Whether out of spite towards the villagers for their treatment, or the fact that Sozeki wanted you to be Hokage instead of Minato so he could be clan head. Kengo won't look either, he hated Minato and Kushi-chan. After they pretty much took Obito in on team 7 he lost his main outlet. He wouldn't dare hit Izumi, or Hazaki would have gone straight to the Hokage, but as long as he had Obito and her 'because they could bear it.' Oh kami! Fugaku, if they take over clan head position, Sozeki will force Hazaki and her kids back into Kengo's house. You know how old fashioned the elders are. They will side with his case on principle with a clan head backing." Mikoto was up and pacing now. Hundreds of scenarios all amounting to her sister and her children suffering under the abuser again.

"I won't let that happen Miko. You know I won't. Sozeki will end up the chief, but not until I relinquish it. I honestly expected this the moment I saw him at the door. As for Naruto and Mito, As I am in the middle of what could be my last investigation, the majority will honor my wish to remain chief until the case is closed." Fugaku calmly stated.

Mikoto stopped for a moment and thought about it. Both of them had been groomed from childhood for politics like this. They had never quite foreseen their own family turning on them in such a way, but still they were more than prepared to step up to bat if Sozeki and his lap dog wanted to play politics.

Fugaku was right. The Uchiha were a very honor driven clan. Anything that tarnished that honor was destroyed, anyone that questioned it was silenced. It had been that way far longer than Konoha had even existed and it wouldn't change now. If Fugaku played the card that it was his honor at stake in not solving the case, he would have years possibly a decade before the elders would allow their clan head to be dishonored in failing such a task.

"How is Obito?" He asked. Fugaku knew the boy saw the twins as his responsibility and penance. He had spent very large amounts of his spare time the past year helping to care for them. He wanted desperately to be the big brother and role model that Minato had once told him he could be. Now though, Fugaku was worried this would be the straw that proved too much for him. Fugaku had seen much more mature men collapse under far less hardship than what Obito had suffered through.

"He is heartbroken, and he blames himself. Just like he did for their death. He is still certain it was my great grandfather that did all those horrible things to him. I wish he would let us take him to Inoichi. He needs help, he's drowning Fugaku." Mikoto sounded as heartbroken as she looked. Her family, both blood and contractual was falling to pieces around her. Rare tears stung her eyes as she leaned back into her Husband's sudden embrace. Voice cracking as she finished voicing her thoughts.

"He's not the only one, I'm cracking up I think. I used to be a jonin and now look at me, a stay at home mother weeping like some damsel. Kushina would have never let me live it down." Mikoto was shaking slightly as she cried into Fugaku's neck. He felt his own jaw clench up as he fought back his own wave of emotion, brought on by exhaustion.

"We will get through this, and put the family together again, I promise you Miko. Obito will get better, Kengo will get what's coming to him, and we will find Naruto and Mito. It will all work out." He assured his wife. The couple stayed like that for a while, but slowly they separated, and other than slightly bloodshot eyes, Mikoto looked no worse for wear.

"Come on, Obito and Hazuki need to join us at the meeting tonight. The sitters will just have to stay a bit longer than we intended." Fugaku said as they left the room to get ready for the clan meeting.

**Konoha Catacombs;**

**Foundation Compound**

Danzo gradually made his way through the reports of his Root shinobi. He had had to play it safe for the last several days after the exchange to ensure that he wouldn't be implicated in the disappearance of the Uzumaki heirs. It had set him behind on the tasks he needed to complete. He was pleased little of note had occurred besides their most recent operation.

By now he was thankfully on his last set of files, which were very intriguing. It seemed things were moving along nicely in the Uchiha issue. Where once he had expected Fugaku and Sozeki to begin pulling away from Konoha after the Kyuubi incident, the clan head had surprised him. Evidently the clan was now fracturing. Fugaku his wife and her sister, along with his nephew Obito, led the majority of the remaining shinobi corps Uchiha in staunch support of a less rigid and volatile clan, while the far more traditional, and much larger police force had taken to supporting Sozeki.

Danzo had chuckled at the reports of different rumors that were going around. The clan head's image was truly being drug through the mud, right alongside his family members. The elder wasn't surprised to read that Sozeki and Kengo, Fugaku's own right hand men, had turned on him and were trying to oust the man in favor of a more anti-village mindset that had taken place in the clan slowly ever since the villagers had started treating the Uchiha with suspicion after Madara Uchiha's betrayal.

Danzo wasn't a fool. He knew the treatment was unfounded, but as time progressed the feeling of being considered separate from the other villagers and clans was changing the mindset of the Uchiha. Things had greatly changed from the time of Kagami Uchiha during the reign of Lord Second. Back then there was still a common hope by the Uchiha to reconnect with the villagers. That was the whole point of moving the Uchiha district closer to the village center. Yet it simply wasn't enough.

Now both thanks to his own push towards trying to make the council see the truth, and the village's own bias, the commonly accepted fact, by the masses of the villagers, was that the Uchiha had something to do with the demon's attack. Danzo, had seen the beast's eyes. He knew what it looked like when one was under the control of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

He had tried several times to force a bill to have those who had achieved the next level of Sharingan be specially registered by the village not just the clan. His attempts had been shot down as violating clan laws. So he had been forced into drastic measures. Danzo had begun investigating the Uchiha.

Fugaku and his brood were innocent, of that much Danzo felt certain. However the rest of the clan had proven extremely difficult to get information on. He knew Sozeki and Kengo were meeting with the clan elders in secret but had no idea who else was there or what these meetings involved.

Since the 'disappearance' of the Uzumaki twins, the aggressive searches conducted by Fugaku and his loyalist police had only made tension worse. Now the Uchiha police were essentially rebelling against their leader. Already it was easy to tell which Uchiha sided with Fugaku and which sided with Sozeki. Those following Sozeki had stopped wearing their headbands all together. There was surprisingly no law requiring a shinobi to display the headband, and besides the basics of the police uniform, the Uchiha police were rather lax on dress code.

Danzo almost felt bad for the few good Uchiha in the clan. Those loyal to Konoha had his pity, but the Uchiha clan was too large of a threat to be ignored. One of Danzo's most vivid memories of the second's teachings had been how he explained the village to him.

Tobirama had told him how the village was like one great tree, the villagers themselves were the trunk, bearing the weight of the branches of the shinobi. However should a branch require pruning, it has to be done immediately and effectively if the tree is to remain strong.

That same discussion was what had given Danzo the inspiration for his Root. They would form the foundation for the village to survive. The roots of Konoha as it were. They would also prune any clan that was a threat, and ensure the strength of the village. In honor of his sensei. Even if that meant wiping out the Uchiha. Even though it had meant he had to seize the last Uzumaki and hand them over to Orochimaru to become the replacement for the Uchiha.

According to Orochimaru, his tests on the Uzumaki survivors Danzo's root had been rounding up for over a decade, had led to several breakthroughs. Sadly the nearly thirty survivors now numbered closer to a dozen in total. Thankfully a few of the women had given birth so that in time the program could continue.

When the two children were ready they would become the perfect tools for Konoha, the perfect Shinobi, he would make sure of that.

With that he turned to the second set of files in his hands. He had broached the topic of requiring a new Jinchuriki for the village with the loss of Kushina and the Kyubi for good. While Danzo had his doubts to the legitimacy to Hiruzen's claim regarding the sealing of the Kyubi into the shinigami's stomach he had no proof otherwise. Still though it provided the perfect opportunity to acquire a new jinchuriki for Konoha.

Already he and the other two elders had all but forced Hiruzen's hand in looking into doing just that. Between his own networks and Jiraiya's Danzo had been able to come up with a few options. However one stood out, and Hiruzen would agree to it, or Danzo would begin opening up questions that Hiruzen didn't want asked in front of the idiots making up most of the council seats.

**Konoha;**

**Senju Estate**

Tsunade Senju was beside herself with grief. She had taken time away from the hospital the moment she had both Kakashi and Shizune stable and locked herself within her study at home. Until a month ago, the two little Uzumaki twins had been staying here, in an extra office room converted to a nursery for the twins. She had expected to hate having the children around, but instead she had been filled with a joy she hadn't had since her younger brother Nawaki was still alive.

Now though she was alone staring at the photo of her holding the two smiling babies that were hers in all but blood. She had kept the tears at bay for days, while working either with those investigating the kidnapping, or at the hospital. Now though, more than half of the way through a bottle of sake, Tsunade let the tears begin to run freely.

It was far too quiet now. No twins either screaming for something or giggling contentedly in never ending energy. No team 7 arguing over who will get to train the children what when they grew up. No Jiraiya teasing her and flirting while spending time with his godchildren. No Shizune getting on to her for her drinking, while still looking at her like any teenage daughter would when exasperated with their mother.

It was nearly as bad as when Dan died. At least this time she had been able to save the two stupid brats drug into her hospital. Kakashi was in rough shape. Shizune on the other hand was nearly dead from chakra exhaustion. She had never seen the girl's reserves so depleted, which just further went to show how bad off the pair had been prior to Shizune doing her part as a medic nin.

Her mind drifted from the two she knew to be safe, to the two she knew to not be. Where were those sweet little brats? Jiraiya had already confirmed that the other villages were looking for them just as hard, for their own reasons of course. Tsunade didn't want to suspect someone in Konoha, but the more time passed the more that seemed likely. The more likely someone of relative power had them too if they were able to hide from the ANBU and Uchiha police. Not to mention several of the other clan heads were breathing down their own members necks to keep an eye out. The clan's of konoha were all too paranoid expecting they would be next, or more precisely their heirs would be next. As was usual in Konoha, most of the noble clans had children within a year of one another. So every pair of parents in the Konoha elite had locked their compounds down like a vault.

Taking another hearty swig of her drink Tsunade nearly pitched it at the door when it swung open. She stopped herself when she saw a red eyed Rin standing there. The poor girl had picked up extra shifts at the Hospital in the past week to try and take her mind off of the kidnapping. It wasn't enough, squad 7 had taken the kidnapping the hardest of everyone. Kakashi had to be sedated to keep him in the hospital, Obito had reportedly collapsed from exhaustion and was being cared for in the Uchiha compound, and Rin had to be ordered home for her own health.

The girl slowly walked over to Tsunade and sat down beside her. Sliding down the wall slowly and not really looking at anything in front of her. She picked up her own bottle and moved to open it until she was stopped by Tsunade. She looked for a while at the Senju woman's hand holding her wrist before turning to glare at Tsunade, calling her a hypocrite without using words.

Tsunade though, she didn't back down. Bloodshot eyes stared into bloodshot eyes, and both women glared until finally Rin surrendered the bottle to her teacher. Since returning to Konoha and saving Obito, Rin and Tsunade had grown close, close enough for Tsunade to take Rin as her second apprentice after Shizune. All things considered the girls had grown on Tsunade the last year especially. They had spent a huge amount of time with her, whether learning the craft or caring for the twins. It was almost like having two little sisters, or perhaps daughters.

On that note, Tsunade carefully brought Rin into an awkward one armed hug and they leaned their heads together for comfort.

"I thought you would be with Obito right now. You always mention how you want to be closer to him." Tsunade said quietly.

"I went by, but Izumi-chan told me he and all the Uchiha of age were having some sort of big clan meeting about the chief of police. She said that Sozeki and the other officers are unhappy with the way Lord Fugaku is running things." Rin answered.

Tsunade's breath hitched for a moment as she ran the situation through her mind. She knew by talking to the couple that things were slowly going from bad to worse in the clan. To think that it was getting bad enough that some members were forcing Fugaku to call unscheduled meetings didn't bode well. Fugaku had always been a rigid by the books man. He lived a structured and organized life.

**Konoha;**

**Uchiha Estate**

Obito stared up at the sky and sat silently as he replayed the events from the clan meeting in his head. Had he not been told by Lord Fugaku what to expect at the meeting he would have likely lost his composure. Obito had always been overly familiar with people, often lacking the proper graces for politics and meeting with nobility. This time however he saw true disrespect in the way the clan members had treated Fugaku.

He had been shocked. Obito had pointedly stayed away from clan meetings since his 'trial' for giving Kakashi his eye. This felt much the same, except now, the one being targeted was the clan head. Thankfully the elders had called them into order, and shortly afterward Fugaku affirmed his decision to bow to the petition made by Sozeki. It had been fun to watch the smug expressions slide off their faces when Fugaku said he would step down the moment the Uzumaki case was completed.

Obito watched his bastard old man, jump to his feat to shout only to be struck hard on the leg by Sozeki to reel him in. It was obvious the majority of the clan were happy with Fugaku's choice, several whispered about the clan head's honor making a good showing.

That had been the highlight of the night.

It was bittersweet though. As things were Fugaku held control of the clan, and the greater majority still supported him, however he had been pushed into accepting an upstart idea. One that was extremely stupid.

The clan was moving. They weren't leaving the village of course, but they Fugaku and the elders had agreed that perhaps it was best to move the compound away from the village proper and to the outskirts to avoid any kind of continued disputes like what they had been seeing over the last week.

Obito had gotten a chance to ask why they had to do that after the meeting, but his uncle had told him it was more of a need to distance themselves from the Police than from village. It made sense sort of. The police station had it's own barracks for it's officers, and most of the Uchiha against Fugaku were from the force. Really only a few would remain living in the compound on a permanent basis as the barracks at the station were more akin to modest dorms.

As it was the elders had all been given the task of allocating the funds for actual construction. Mikoto had been placed in charge of arranging the construction of the Clan head estate, Obito's mom was helping her as they would be moving in with them. Obito himself had been given a report to deliver to Lord Third first thing in the morning, the Hokage needed to be told about what was happening before Fugaku introduced the plan to move to the other clan heads that the Uchiha would now be neighboring.

With that thought Obito sighed, sent a last prayer out to his missing pseudo-siblings, and another to his teacher and pseudo-big sister, before turning in for the night.

**Three Years Later:**

**Konoha;**

**Orochimaru's Main Lab;**

**Testing Room**

Orochimaru smiled as he flicked through the data collected by his assistants. He had to gather more and more of his own followers over the last three years as the Third Hokage had begun to really crack down on the Foundation. To make sure his involvement with both Orochimaru and Root was kept at a minimum Danzo had begun liquidating anyone that wasn't absolutely necessary to complete his projects.

Luckily for Orochimaru, the legacy projects were considered more than just necessary. That luck was doubled in that Danzo had come to trust him enough to only keep a few guards around to help with security. Which meant Orochimaru had practically no oversight. The experiments he had been able to conduct in the last three years were nearly on par with what he had been able to do during the wars.

Sadly a few weeks ago a treaty was signed with Cloud, formally ending the last conflict of the third shinobi war. In reality neither side had attacked the other in nearly five years but rather than rely on a weak cease fire, a formal treaty had been finally agreed upon. That is despite the astounding roadblocks, such as cloud attempting to kidnap the Hyuga heiress under guise of peace the year prior.

Now sadly with the new Raikage taking over from his father earlier this year, cloud patrols couldn't go missing anymore without causing actual investigations from Konoha.

Orochimaru could live with that he supposed. There were plenty of dispossessed persons within and without Konoha itself that would provide perfect populations to draw from. The only trouble was keeping everything under Sarutobi's radar. That and the irritatingly fine comb of a combined Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Fugaku Uchiha still investigating every disappearance they heard of for ties to Naruto and Mito. Orochimaru did of course find his annoyance tempered with the fact that he could see how much it broke up his sensei and fellow sannin too still have no idea where the children were.

The Snake Sannin turned his eyes back to his apprentice. Well former apprentice fit her better. She had steadily begun to regain her will to defy his curse mark over the last few years. Rather than throw her away though, Orochimaru had decided to keep her on to study. She seemed most able to defy him when trying to protect the various children Orochimaru had experimented on. A month ago she had even drawn a kunai on him to keep him from injecting a new serum into the Uzumaki twins. Simply Fascinating. Her willpower was truly astounding, had he actually cared to make her an apprentice she would have made a decent pupil he supposed.

Anko twitched slightly under his gaze. Her personality had changed drastically with the curse mark. She had become more aggressive, violent, and sadistic, though unlike other subjects who had survived the process she continued to resist giving into the urges the mark continuously flooded her with. Long gone was the sweet and soft spoken girl who preferred elegant dresses and kimonos and participating in elaborate tea ceremonies as a hobby, in her place was someone who despite her resistance to do all the depraved activities that Orochimaru demanded of her would still do it and take a deep seated guilty feeling of being whole upon such acts completion. Resist all she liked but by this point she would never truly remove the effects of the curse mark on her psyche even if it was removed from her body. As it was her now present scowl caused the Sannin to smirk down at her as she rigidly bowed her head.

"Master the twins have been put to bed. I have noted that your experiment to expedite their access to their clan's abilities with the adamantium chains are coming along faster than your projections expected. For abilities that naturally only show themselves when an Uzumaki enters puberty, even just being able to conjure up small amounts of their chains from only their hands at such a young age is unprecedented. In negative news both have begun to burn through calories at a rate excessive even for most Uzumakis and Jinchuuriki. I have had to increase their rations to quadruple amounts for Mito and Naruto to keep their bodies from essentially eating themselves. However they still complain of hunger and stomach pains often." Anko gave her report to the snake bastard that she had to call master with a flat dead tone.

"Very good Anko-chan. We will be adding little Karin to the same program as those two now that I know she will survive like the twins did." Orochimaru caressed her cheek causing the girl to shiver slightly in disgust and fear. Orochimaru simply chuckled at that. "I will give you more access to the kitchens to ensure that all of them are receiving all the nutrients they need. Now what about our little gardner and his smoking sister?" Orochimaru chuckled faintly at his awful jokes. If he didn't come off as a pedophilic mad scientist Anko would have rolled her eyes at the painfully bad attempts at jokes.

The little gardener and his smoking sister as Orochimaru had so creepily referred to the children as were two more members of his legacy projects. Both children were technically the last of the Iburi clan. A clan few even realized lived beneath Konoha itself. Several years ago Orochimaru had approached the clan to help them with a disease spreading quickly through their population. Not a normal disease, but failing genetics from hundreds of years of 'keeping the blood pure'. How often that backfired should have shown the many shinobi clans the issues with that idea, but then again it made great opportunities for Orochimaru. Such as now. The Iburi had numbered nearly two hundred in total. All but a small fraction were affected by the weakened bodies and uncontrollable kekkei genkai. After all these years two results had been produced from the clan, with the rest all proving to be failures in one fashion or other. However little Tenzo's body needed to be completely refigured, so he like sixty other children were shuffled into one of Orochimaru's legacy programs. Tenzo was the only survivor of his specific experiment and what a success it was. Now a somewhat weak form of the first's wood release was recreated. All that had been required was rewriting the child's make up. Orochimaru treated such an act like it was childsplay to alter the very things that made someone human. Unsurprisingly it had been easy with the Iburi clan's kekkei genkai making it easy to break down and reconstitute the body.

While the child lost his family's smoke release he was now the only wood release user in the known world. His younger sister had nearly been one of those Orochimaru pushed into his other experiments. Luckily for her the disease wiping out her clan had killed far too many of those capable of using their kekkei genkai and Orochimaru had created a new branch of legacy programs to make her body able to properly control her gifts. Again out of all the subjects in that experiment Yukimi was somehow the only survivor.

While that had been all well and good the two survived, subsequent attempts had proven fruitless and Orochimaru had been unable to replicate the successes. Scrapping the projects Orochimaru had focused more on his curse mark and the last branch of the Legacy Project held within the Konoha lab.

"Tenzo and Yukimi have shown great control over their kekkei genkai. Tenzo is only held back by his chakra reserve size at the moment, and Yukimi is being pushed into more offensive style moves as you requested. She is having trouble creating offensive jutsus with her smoke though." Anko stated trying to keep the quiver from her voice as the Sannin rested his hand on the side of her neck, just above the mark he had forced on her shortly after she became his apprentice.

"Good. Perhaps she will find ash and smoke jutsus from the Sarutobi clan to her benefit. I will have someone procure some for her next time I am able. Increase the chakra training for Tenzo. I want him much stronger when I next present the legacy candidates to Danzo, we still require his backing for the moment, I am not yet ready to abandon my lab here in Konoha." Orochimaru commented. "Now how is the tomato patch?" Orochimaru chuckled as he clicked on the lights to the testing room revealing a horrendous sight that widened his grin and caused Anko's stomach to twist.

On the other side of the viewing window were the remains of five redheaded people. Anko could only describe them as such because beyond their hair color any sort of distinguishing features were too damaged or bloody to be visible. A sixth person, also with red hair worn short lay in the fetal position at the back of the room shaking violently and sobbing. While also covered in blood it was apparent he was a young boy, and that he was one of Orochimaru's so called successes in the curse mark tests. All six had survived the implantation of the mark, but sadly it seemed one lost themselves to the mark and slaughtered the others.

"Well it seems we had another mixed batch. One couldn't control it and the others were no match for him. Make a note that when the bodies are pulled out that they are taken to my autopsy tables in room seven." Orochimaru commented, not affected by the gore in front of him. He flipped a switch and a menacing purplish mist filtered into the room, soon causing the last resident to begin jerking violently and clawing at his face before he slowly grew weaker until only twitching occasionally.

The snake sneered at the girl beside him. She was lucky the children who had proven to be successes adored her so much. He had long since considered her used up in every way he desired. Now she no longer interested except in her miraculous ability to partially resist his mark on her neck. The girl looked green at seeing the state of the room but nodded before turning to leave.

Orochimaru watched her leave before rolling his eyes and continuing on to room nine, it seemed he would need to rework another aspect of the curse mark. Even with the Uzumaki potent chakra the latest test had only succeeded in giving him five drones. True he could have kept the wild animal that was once a proud Uzumaki alive and continue to run tests on him. Sadly though the continued investigations around the village conducted by both Sarutobi and Uchiha meant that he couldn't risk a potentially wild specimen breaking free. He could not be noticed at this time or all these years of research would be for nothing.

In the opposite direction Anko had moved as quick as she could away from the bastard snake in the hopes of escaping his interest. The sannin had particular tastes, both scientifically and otherwise that Anko had been victim of more times than she could recall. He was a monster on Danzo's very thin leash but a monster no less. Anko still felt awful for the screams she could hear whenever a new batch of subjects were brought into the lab and he would separate the specimens for experiments, and the toys for his disgusting urges that were not even usually sexual, simply and purely sadistic.

Finally coming to her destination the teen let herself into the room and looked down at the sleeping children. The twins had been here since they were one. She couldn't remember the Kyuubi incident that orphaned them, or even most of the first year of their life, but she did remember when they had been brought to the snake by a squad of blood covered root agents. The bastards hadn't seemed to care about the children much, using a sleeping jutsu on them at such a young age was harmful and could disrupt their brains, hearts, lungs, you name it.

It wasn't long after that she had been essentially made their caregiver while they were condemned to the hell beneath Konoha. Guilt from watching all those other children and not being able to remember even watching them until the dreams came had made her extremely protective of them. At least as protective as she could be while still collared by Orochimaru.

It was just a year later that her charges doubled in number. Tenzo and Yukimi slept in the room beside the twins and were honestly very sweet if quiet children for growing up in the worst place she could imagine. Yukimi seemed to be the more open of the two but Tenzo was the typical big brother when it came to her as far as keeping her close to him whenever possible. Anko tried to make sure that any free time the four children had could be spent together. Their lives were so hard already, to do it alone would be awful.

A year ago another charge had entered her care. Karin was a very bright girl. Just a few months older than the twins, who shared her clan the girl had the room right across the hall from the twins. She was as much an Uzumaki as the twins. Anko still remembered seeing Lady Kushina around the village. Karin reminded her of Kushina even more than the twins did honestly, she had such a tough girl attitude it was adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.

Karin's mother was also held in the labs but Anko had only seen her once, when she had led Karin there for one of the extremely rare occasions she got a chance to see the woman. The reunion was short lived but heartwarming. Luckily both of them were safe from the curse mark tests due to their mutated healing abilities. Karin like Naruto and Mito wasn't full blooded Uzumaki and already showed signs of being able to become a sensor on par with Mito Uzumaki on top of her chakra naturally healing others by ingesting it. So the girl had been pitched right into the Legacy projects like Anko's other kids.

Yes her kids. Whenever she could she kept them all together, she even contemplated moving Karin into Naruto and Mito's room to keep them closer to one another. Tenzo and Yukimi had preferred to stay separate but perhaps Karin would want the company. She got along well with the others after some hesitation. Often saying how warm and nice Naruto and Mito's chakra was. Anko would feed them together and made them act like a family on most days. Tenzo quickly took the role as big brother to the other children very seriously. Seeing the eldest trying to act like he knew how all the others especially Naruto should act was adorable. Especially when the group would rebel against him and cause them to wrestle or play fight.

It helped take her mind off this horrible place, even if for just a little while.

**Konoha:**

**Hokage's Office**

Hiruzen smiled warmly down to the young one in front of him. The five year old girl looked to bit caught somewhere between terrified and hopeful about her new surroundings. She was cute little thing Hiruzen had to admit. She was rather interesting looking, dark tan skin with mint green hair and bright orange eyes.

"Hello little one welcome to my village, can you tell me your name?" Hiruzen asked, he knew the girl's name, he was the one that had organized the mission to retrieve her after Danzo pressured him into getting a new Jinchuuriki. At the time of preparing for it, the girl had been freshly made into Taki's newest Jinchuuriki for the seven tails at two.

"...Fu." The girl finally said very quietly. She still seemed unsure about Hiruzen, which from the report on his desk from Kakashi was more than understandable. No child deserved what this girl had been put through, and he had no doubt it would have gotten much worse as she aged.

"That's a very pretty name for such a cute girl Fu." Hiruzen said easily sliding into his role of a comforting grandfather. He was rewarded with a slight blush and smile from the girl. She wasn't used to such compliments.

"Fu, do want to know where you are now?" Hiruzen asked. Behind the girl Kakashi and his chosen comrades for the mission shifted uncomfortably. Having technically just kidnapped the girl from her home, awful as it was. The girl shook her head but otherwise chose to stay quiet.

"Well then young lady let me be the first to welcome you to my village, would you like to go on a tour with me?" Hiruzen asked, raising his eyebrows in bit of a goofy manner making the girl stifle a faint giggle as he reminded her of a monkey for a second.

"Yes." She said with far more confidence than she had anything else since Kakashi and his fellows had found her.

"Excellent, I'll even take you to my favorite place to eat, but hmm, maybe we could ask a few friends of mine to come, would you like that?" Hiruzen asked shooting a glance at the four standing behind the girl. With a motion of his hand the four removed their masks, or in Kakashi and Obito's cases one of their masks.

"I guess." The girl said, she seemed to be beginning to come out of her shell a little bit. The smile coming a little easier to her face.

"Well good, I'd hate to leave them here alone, they get up to mischief when someone responsible isn't watching after them you know." He said conspiratorially with the girl as she giggled at the looks the four shinobi shot their leader in betrayal.

"Fu, I'd like you to meet them, this is Kakashi, beside him is Obito, behind him is Itachi, and next to him is Rin." Hiruzen said, smiling as she sent them a friendly if a bit hesitant wave.

"Hello Fu." Obito said with a friendly voice as he sent a wave back to her along with friendly smiles from both Itachi and Rin.

The group went on to slowly make their round around the village. Hiruzen introduced Fu to a few people at various shops they came to and the little girl hardly knew what to do with herself with the positive interaction throughout the day.

Purposefully striking up conversations now and then when Fu was out of earshot but the villagers weren't the team did their part to ensure both Fu's status as a jinchuuriki remained confidential and the 'story' of how they came across her on a mission as she was being abused spread. The story wasn't really much of a lie either. They just left out that the mission had been originally to kidnap her in the first place and had been in the works far longer than they had known she was being mistreated. They had even been prepared for her to fight them when they took her. The poor thing was just happy to be taken away from there.

Obito hoped to introduce her to his little sister, or with support from the Hokage perhaps even get her adopted by his mother, however that seemed unlikely with the rumors spreading about the Uchiha somehow controlling the Kyubi.

Rin had likewise grown attached to the green haired girl as the day wore on. She had always been a bit of a softy and it didn't hurt that the girl was cute as a button. She was a little obvious in how much she craved the approval and affection of those around her. All the positive energy coming from the friendly businesses and shinobi the Hokage made sure to introduce her to seemed to be having a great affect on her after even one day.

Itachi was more than a little unsure on how to handle Fu. Despite having two younger siblings of his own, only a year younger than the girl Itachi still had some difficulty expressing emotions properly. It was part of the reason he was doing ANBU missions at his age, and doing ANBU missions at his age was part of the reason he had difficulty with emotions. So he chose the obvious route and was just friendly and pleasant to the girl.

Kakashi wanted to run off as soon as possible. His mind, as always settled onto the twins and what kind of hardship they were suffering. Seeing the treatment of Fu by her own people after sealing the seven tails into her he couldn't help but wonder if they were suffering the same abuse or worse somewhere. Most considered the twins dead by this point, however somehow Kakashi knew, and he felt somewhat guilty for the fact that he was distant with the friendly little girl, but really he wouldn't be able to handle it if he grew close to another and they disappeared or died like so many others. He couldn't imagine how much worse off he would be if Shizune, Obito, and Rin didn't haul him around like a dog on a leash to make sure he remained sociable.

As night neared the group came to a small apartment building near the Hokage Monument. Leading Fu up the stairs Hiruzen reached the door to the second room on the second floor before unlocking the doors and stepping in. Inside was a spacious and already furnished and stocked apartment. It had a bedroom, a bathroom, a small kitchen, and a large living/dining room area. It was honestly a very nice apartment.

"What do you think of this place Fu?" Hiruzen asked as he had her sit down on the couch.

The five year old peered around. She wasn't all that impressed, but what five year old would be by a simply furnished apartment. She did however try to appear excited for it, trying to make sure she stayed on her new friend's good side.

"It's nice, do you live here?" Fu asked getting a chuckle from the old man.

"No I don't but I will visit here often because you live here now. This place is all yours now." Hiruzen said with a smile as the girl took stock of the room with a new appreciation on her face.

"I live here?" She mumbled to herself as she looked around the room.

"Yes and you know what's the best? I'm you next door neighbor!" Rin said with excitement causing the girl's smile to double in size and brightness at the thought of her new friend being so close by.

Fu yawned and the boys said their goodbyes Hiruzen telling her he would visit her often. Rin stayed behind and helped the girl to get ready for bed while the other three followed their Hokage.

"I was going to ask to take her into or have my mother or grandmother take her in, but you seem to want Rin to do that." Obito said as they walked. Kakashi nodded and Hiruzen chuckled slightly while Itachi was a little surprised by Obito wishing to take Fu in.

"Yes, sadly you and I both know the village would never allow Fu to be raised by your mother or even your grandmother. They are being foolish at the moment." Hiruzen said getting stiff nods from the three boys.

"So what is the long term plan with her?" Kakashi asked. As much as he was planning to distance himself from the girl, he still wanted to make sure she was taken care of.

"Now that you mention it, Yura and her husband have been trying for a child, I never thought I would see the day she would look at retiring from the shinobi forces. She wanted to be a kunoichi more than either Soshu or Asuma ever wanted to be shinobi. Until I convince her and Jun to take the girl in Rin will look after her. She agreed to it before you left to retrieve Fu." Hiruzen said again getting nods from his shinobi.


End file.
